The Vancouver Canucks blueline took a leap forward this season but remains the team’s weak spot. Could Dustin Byfuglien be the perfect target in free agency?
It’s been less than 48 hours since Dustin Byfuglien terminated his contract in Winnipeg and already people are pondering the idea of the big hulking defender patroling the Vancouver Canucks‘ blueline next season. Should Jim Benning look into acquiring the team’s old nemesis?
The Canucks have their fair share of difficult main roster decisions to make for the 2020-21 campaign, especially on defence, but if Byfuglien is available it would be stupid not to at least give his agent a call and see what the situation is. His work ethic may not always be there, but he’s worth looking into.
It’s been a decade since Byfuglien terrorized the Canucks during the peak of their heated rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks. Hatred flowed like water between those teams and “Big-Buff” was enemy number one in Vancouver. But that’s exactly why any Canucks fan would know how valuable a player like that can be. Striking fear into the eyes of his opponents, he’s the kind of player you pray is wearing the same colour jersey as you are.
The 260-pound hockey player has the baggage to match his size, but the physicality he brings on the ice is enough to give him a shot. The fact that he hasn’t played in a year helps lower his dollar amount and considering how much money he walked away from in Winnipeg, maybe money isn’t everything to him and the Canucks can land him on a reasonable term.
Maybe reuniting him with Tyler Myers would help sway him to sign with Vancouver. That towering duo decimated players in the past when they were partnered together for the Jets, and maybe that rough-and-tough style hockey is exactly what the Canucks roster needs.
At the right price and term, this makes total sense for Vancouver and honestly any team really. Byfuglien’s game is rare, and any team would be lucky to add his skill set to their roster.